Re: Moving towns

Hmm... on looking after yourself during the transition, I'd say staying in contact with a supportive person/supportive people can be super helpful. And bringing reminders with you of a time before the transition, so it doesn't feel as foreign. That might be bigger stuff, like furniture/ a pet or it might just be a piece of clothing in which you feel super comfy. What do you reckon?

Re: Moving towns

One thing I know about moving anywhere is that it can be really exhausting and can quickly turn from an exciting thing to a daunting process. It is a big task to move your life from one place to another so I definitely recommend starting to the process early and doing a little bit everyday so it doesn't seem overwhelming - planning out what room or what part your going to pack up on a certain day etc. Same thing goes for unpacking! I am the worst for just wanting everything to be set up and settled straight away and really burnt myself out staying up super late/getting up early to get it done asap. I realised the second time I moved that as long as my bed was set up on the first day, the rest could be done as I needed it.

I would also recommend taking time to explore your new country town - they often have little scenic drives or swimming spots depending on where you're moving. Finding a place you really connect with that brings you joy in your new town will really help you to connect with your new home.

Re: Moving towns

Hey! I’ve literally just moved from the bottom of Australia- Melbourne to the top! It’s scary and can be very provoking for anxiety. Through the chaos of packing and moving, it is SO important to take time to yourself and practice some self care. You tend to lose yourself in the stress. Meeting new people can be scary too. Is there anything in particular that is worrying you? I’ve moved across the country countless times, I have a heap of advice on this sorta thing

Re: Moving towns

Sounds odd but the possibility of homesickness/missing what I've left behind hadn't actually occurred to me @letitgo! I haven't really experienced it before (although I haven't moved far before), so I'm glad you mentioned it. I will have a bunch of my stuff/ my husband with me so that should help

@lennycat2017 this town does indeed have many beautiful spots I'll make use of and that's good advice about packing, I think it's going at a pretty good pace at the moment.

@IsabellasRecovery I'm mostly worried about not being liked or accepted, and making social or professional mistakes. I worry about those sorts of things anyway, but like you said with so many new people it's intensified. Woah that's a big move! Have you settled now? Any advice very welcome

Re: Moving towns

@hellofriend Hey! Good to hear from you. I’m settling, just in a rough spot with my mental health currently which I think is stopping me from completely setting but enough about me. In terms of making mistakes professionally and socially, I hear you. Do you know anybody where you are moving to? Sometimes you can make connections through them, a much easier way to talk to people and they will already somewhat like you because you are friends with one of their friends. Professionally, I would say, while you’re still unpacking etc- just try and get your foot in the door, introduce yourself to a bunch of workplaces you may want to work at if you aren’t transferring. I find trying to manage unpacking, meeting new people and looking for a job has been a bit much for me and I should’ve taken a step back. This is all advice from my own experience so it may not be relevant or even helpful but I hope it was. Enjoy your day

Re: Moving towns

@isabellasrecovery has shared some great tips on this!

I would also recommend checking out any community sports team or yoga classes, whatever is up your ally. It can be a great way to meet like minded people and if you are feeling a bit overwhelmed when you move, exercise/yoga can be super helpful with releasing any stress etc. Obviously give yourself some time to settle before you take on too much though!

Re: Moving towns

Hey @hellofriend, I just wanted to jump into the conversation too if that's okay because I had the opposite experience to you - I moved from a country town to the city!

I completely agree with everyone else's posts here, and want to congratulate you on having the courage to make a big change. Having lived in a country town, I think you are likely to find the atmosphere quite friendly - because my country town was a lot smaller than a city, I often found that opportunities to make close social connections were a lot more common. There is often a real sense of community.

In my experience of moving, my biggest piece of advice would be to get involved with work social events if you feel comfortable doing so. I found this so daunting when I first started at my job, and was worried that people were just inviting me to be polite, but this is how I got introduced to new people and made new friendships.

I am really impressed by what you're doing, as it takes a lot of guts to put yourself in a new context and push yourself outside your comfort zone. I hope the opportunity is everything you're hoping for, wishing you all the best

Re: Moving towns

Some cool social + leisure things country towns have that cities don't, in my experience, that you may wanna check out

- Farmer's Markets! Get frsh produce and meet locals, Often the social butterflies in town will be there

- A lot of pubs have house bands and people go along and have fun. Some can be really corny, but we had a great Irish folk band who did our local pub every Sunday and that was always a good excuse to get out of the house (helps that I love Irish music, though!)

- Youth groups are often smaller, so you get a tighter knit group of buds from it. A lot of the friends I have to this day are from my old LGBT group.

Also workplaces in country towns tend to be a lot more social and care less about professionalism as long as you can do the job well. I go out for dinner with some of my coworkers, even!